Value exclusion in social–scientific approaches for assessing and valuing ecosystem features: Implications for behavioral compliance

Abstract Value inclusion is critical for effective ecosystem science policy and largely emerged from critiques of the value-exclusionary attributes of ecological and economic approaches to value assessments and valuations. But whether and how value is excluded during social–scientific approaches to the assessments and valuations of ecosystem features has not received adequate attention. We identify and discuss instances of when and how value is excluded during social–scientific approaches to the assessments and valuations of ecosystem features to which people ascribe value. We illustrate the implications of value exclusion on social compliance with ecosystem management and policy recommendations, a vital overlooked aspect of policy effectiveness. We also extend the meaning of value exclusion beyond value omission to include misidentification and misattribution of salience to valued ecosystem features. We offer suggestions for enabling value inclusion where ways to minimize exclusion are inapparent.